EAP Training for Managers: Shifting the Paradigm from Managing to Coaching

Abstract

Life Solutions EAP offers a coaching skills course for managers, underscoring the strategic role EAPs play in enhancing manager effectiveness through targeted training. This article describes the results of a program evaluation of the changes in managers’ knowledge of and perceptions about coaching concepts and strategies after participation in this training. Seven rounds of the six-week course were delivered to 109 managers from 20 employer groups; 93 of these participants completed both the pre and post versions of a questionnaire examining beliefs and understanding of coaching concepts and strategies. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and correlational analyses. The results suggest that coaching skills training was associated with expected improvements in the managers’ beliefs about employees’ potential for change and growth and also increases in self-reported levels of coaching-related behaviors. Other tests revealed that the amount of within-person change over time occurred to a similar level across different outcome measures – but mostly for the behavior aspects of coaching. Introducing coaching training for managers may be an effective value-add to enhance the relationship between the customer organization and the EAP. Limitations and implications are also discussed.